new rules

New employment standards and tighter rules on income assistance both came into effect this week.
Among the changes to the Employment Standards Act which came into effect Nov. 1:
- termination notice of one week is required after three months of employment
- employees are entitled to statutory holidays after 30 days of employment, regardless of the number of days they've worked
- overtime hours may be taken as time and time may be banked
As well, businesses are now required to permanently post all the new regulations contained in the Employment Standards Act. It is employers' responsibility to obtain the regulations from the Ministry of Skills, Training and Labour.
Meanwhile, on Monday tighter eligibility requirements for welfare came into effect. The changes are expected to save about $35 million a year. They include 90 new staff positions designed to target waste, fraud and abuse in the system. They 90 positions are expected to recoup about $5 for every dollar invested, according to the Ministry of Social Services.
Under the new guidelines, people who refuse to work or who quit their jobs will no longer be eligible for hardship benefits. Those who receive hardship benefits will be required to repay the ministry when they return to work, liquidate assets or receive other income.
Allowable asset levels for single employable people who want to be eligible for welfare have also been reduced, from $2,500 to $500. Primary cars and homes are exempt.